1 Dead, 7 Hurt In Fiery Crash On Route 309

March 23, 1986|by SCOTT J. HIGHAM, The Morning Call

At least one person was killed and seven were seriously injured when an 18- wheel tractor-trailer truck slammed into the back of two cars on Route 309, sending one car into a ditch and trapping a family in the other car beneath the truck's wheels.

The truck, traveling north on Route 309, slammed into the cars as they waited for a red light to change at Ridgeview Drive, a short distance from Mack Trucks' sales and service center. The collision triggered a powerful explosion, which set the tractor-trailer and both cars ablaze, police said.

One car, occupied by a Walnutport couple and their three daughters, was trapped beneath the truck, which pushed the car for at least 30 yards along Route 309 before stopping against a divider. The roof of the car had been sheared off and one of the three daughters - Rachel Everett, age 4 - was killed. Altogether seven people with serious injuries were taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center, according to Donald MacConnell, South Whitehall police chief.

The Walnutport couple, admitted to the hospital with burns, were identified as Terry and Peggy Everett of 225 Main St. Also in the car were their three daughters: Sarah, 10, who was burned; Amanda, 3, who received lacerations; and Rachel, who was pronounced dead at the hospital by Lehigh County Deputy Coroner Wayne Snyder.

The driver of the truck was identified as Charles W. Peanner, 57, of Hunnewell, Mo. No citations were issued last night, but police said they are investigating.

A third vehicle, a green Dodge Charger, was occupied by Carol Reph of Orefield R.2 and Dale Shellhammer, 20, of 1318 Stanley Ave., Bethlehem. It was unclear last night who the drivers of the cars were.

At the scene of the accident, which was reported at 9:45 p.m., the stench of diesel fumes and smoke filled the air. Glass was strewn across the northbound lanes of the highway and rivers of fuel and water flowed down the street.

Scores of rescue workers and firefighters from the Woodlawn, Greenawalds and Wescosville companies worked furiously to free the Everett family, who were trapped in a blue and white Ford Granada. The mass of twisted steel was barely recognizable as a car, aside from a small name plate on the left front fender that read "Granada." One occupant of the car was flown from the scene by MedEvac, which had been idling in the middle of Route 309, just north of the Holiday Inn West.

Workers were forced to attach a small crane from a heavy-duty tow truck to lift the 18-wheeler's cab off the demolished car.

Both the Granada and the Charger caught fire upon impact. Police said the truck exploded first, followed by the two cars. The shell of the charred Charger, its passengers already at the hospital, sat in a ditch alongside the highway, its doors and hood flung open, its interiorgutted.

About an hour after the fierce collision, workers were still trying to free two passengers from the Granada. Sitting on top of the car was the cab of the red 18-wheeler. The truck belongs to J.H. Ware Trucking.

Weary from fighting the fires and cutting through the wreckage, three firefighters formed a tight circle. As they hugged each other, one started to cry.

Police lines stretched around the entire area and Route 309 was closed to all traffic north of Route 22. Behind the police lines, hundreds of unlookers stared in quiet disbelief.